[quote name=\'CarShark\' post=\'194735\' date=\'Aug 21 2008, 09:10 AM\']YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME![/quote]"Two million dollars, Drew." (Yeah, I realize that was from Contestant's Row, and not onstage, but the point still holds: that a contestant chose to repeatedly pass up his chance to get onstage because he'd rather do his shtick.)
As much as it might bother some, TPIR has become an hour-long theme park ride with a three day long line to get in. People are crazy-happy just to be called to Contestant's Row, and pricing game losers say "I still get to spin the wheel!" even if they lost a car. It's less about playing the game, and more the experience of the show, and being part of the institution. Showcase winners who have won roomfuls of furniture squeal with delight because they won, not because of what they won.
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'194740\' date=\'Aug 21 2008, 09:32 AM\']For the purposes of continuing this thread civilly, any more references to "asshat" or any permutation of "fanboy" will be dealt with harshly.[/quote]This brings to mind a town meeting whose origin I can't recall, but they were discussion the invasion of multinational corporations that kicked out "small town businesses." The meeting leaders declared it against the rules to name "Wal*Mart" or to say "big box stores." (So much for free speech.) Shall I call the more voracious fans "special friends of the show," even though we all know what I mean?
The problem isn't one of nomenclature at all. There isn't a spectrum, where someone on the left hasn't ever heard of the show, and those on the right have all the tapes, the memorabilia, has been umpteen times, records the show and the statistics, to the point where it invades the person's life uncontrollably. It's possible to enjoy the show for what it is, an exciting hour of giving away stuff. It's possible to enjoy the show in dissecting the games, knowing what is played where, in what order, for what prizes, and how often. And it's possible to enjoy the show without being a total nutcase.
I really don't like it when I try to inject something of substance into the discussion, and get completely dismissed as someone who can't handle change. I should be able to say "Golly, I liked it the old way" without having the OH NOES! CHANGE!! meme whipped out right away.
/Liked the old Punch-a-Bunch reveal with the turntable and the big "$10,000" sign, for one.
//And yet I still get eight hours of sleep per night.